The present invention relates to a resistance correction circuit, a resistance correction method, and a semiconductor device.
Semiconductor devices include a semiconductor chip. In some cases, the semiconductor chip may include a resistor. To obtain desired semiconductor device characteristics, it is important that the resistor have a desired resistance value.
For example, the semiconductor chip may include an on-chip oscillator (OCO). The OCO is an oscillator circuit integrated on the semiconductor chip and used to generate a clock signal. The OCO includes a resistor that determines an oscillation frequency. If the resistor does not have a desired resistance value, a desired oscillation frequency cannot be obtained.
In some cases, the resistance of the resistor may depend on stress. In this context, the document named “Operating Principles and Glossary of Fujikura Semiconductor Pressure Sensors,” Oct. 31, 2012 http://www.fujikura.co.jp/products/electronic/sensor/data/technical_note.pdf#search=‘Fujikura %20 semiconductor pressure sensor 9’) discloses that a piezoresistive effect causes a change in resistivity in accordance with stress applied to a resistor. Further, the document named “Mechanical stress of the electrical performance of polycrystalline-silicon resistors,” Journal of Materials Research, Vol. 16 (2001), pp. 2579-2582 (“Studies on the influence of external environment on polycrystalline-silicon thin-film resistors,” Masakazu Nakabayashi, Kumamoto University Repository System) discloses that the resistance value of polycrystalline silicon thin film is dependent on stress.
Furthermore, in association with an oscillator circuit, a correction circuit is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10 (1998)-322196. This correction circuit includes an oscillator circuit and a logic circuit. The logic circuit measures the oscillation frequency of the oscillator circuit and generates a predefined control signal for acquiring a constant oscillation frequency. In accordance with the control signal, the correction circuit controls the characteristic circuit by changing the respective element values of their elements.